Book-index



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

:PAUL O. KUEI-IN, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

BOOK-INDEX.

Application filed February 21, 1919. Serial No. 278,474.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PAUL O. KUEHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Book-Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in book indexes, and the primary object thereof resides in the provision of an index applied to the front edge of the book in a manner to render the entire index indicia visible at a glance, and without the necessity of first shifting the book to one side and then to the other in order to render visible index indicia applied to the side marginal edge of a leaf, and exposed to view by thumb nitches cut in the adjoining leaves, as is the method most commonly employed. A further object resides in the provision of an index which, unlike indicia applied by printing and easily worn away, will have a more permanent form, and not easily obliterated or rendered illegible, as by being worn away by constant fingering in paging the book. A still further object consists in applying index indicia to the front edge of the book in intaglio form, so that such indicia at the same time serves as a thumb grip to facilitate separation of the leaves at the desired point.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention in the preferred form of details will be described in the following speciication, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a book embodying the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a fraomentary view representing the edges of the leaves of a book, with an index letter applied in accordance with the invention, and as viewed in perspective. The indexing indicia to be used, as for example, letters of the alphabet, and as shown in Fig. l, are formed on the frontedges 1 of the leaves of the book, so that all of the letters will be visible at a glance, with the book held in the natural and most commodious position for opening thebook at the desired point. The value and advantage of such application and arrangement of the indexing indicia, in permitting the instant locating of the subject matter,

will be clearly apparent, especially inthe i Instead of applying' the index letters 2 by printing or stenciling the same, the letters are formed in any suit-able manner, as by cutting or etching the same with acid, so as to be sunken or recessed with respect to the edges of the leaves. The letters thus formed are suliciently distinct and visible without distinctively coloring the same, and are not unsightly or unduly prominent. In practice the letters would be so arranged relatively that the left extremity of each letter would indicate the point for paging the book to find the beginning of the subject mattei' indexed thereby. Inasmuch as the sunken or recessed index letters also form a thumb grip for ready separation. of the leaves, no special thumb nitches are necessary :tor that purpose. It will also be apparent that the index letters will not readily become worn away or illegible by conino or stenciling.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. The combination with a book having a plurality of leaves, of an index therefor, said index forming finger engaging recesses, said index consisting of indicia formed by removing portions of the edges of contiguous leaves in such a manner that when the contiguous leaves are in engagement with each other, a'complete outline of the indicia will be formed in sunken relation to the edges of the leaves. p

' 2. The combination with a book having a plurality of leaves, of a combined index and finger engaging recesses therefor, said index and finger engaging recesses being in sunken relation to vthe edges of the leaves and formed by removing portions 'of the edges of contiguous leaves in such a manner that when the leaves are brought together `the outline of the indicia is formed in sunken relation to the outer edges of the leaves.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL O, KUEHN.

stant thumbing thereof in paging the book, as occurs where such are applied by print-y 

